Latest news with #paddleboard
The Guardian
04-08-2025
- The Guardian
‘The river becomes an otherworldly bayou': five of the best paddleboard and kayak adventures in the UK
Make this the summer you get back out on the water, with fish plopping beneath you, bulrushes shimmying and kingfishers darting by. Even if you don't have your own kayak or paddleboard festering in the garage, there are dozens of excellent hire places and guided tours up and down the country, on beautiful rivers, lakes, canals and coastlines. I've spent a couple of years researching a book about the loveliest, and here are five of my favourites. For many years the Old Forge Inn – often referred to as the most remote pub in mainland Britain – was well known for its live music sessions that would break out when the whisky started flowing. Locals and visitors were often moved to take down the musical instruments hanging on the walls and burst into tune. It sounded like the best party in the land, all the more so for the degree of difficulty it took to reach it, and the ridiculous beauty of the surroundings. It's the only pub in the only village, Inverie, on the Knoydart peninsula, a heathery, mountainous hunk of the Scottish west coast that juts between three deep sea lochs, where seals play and white-tailed eagles soar. And now it's back. There was a period when things went off the boil under new ownership and the parties dwindled, but in 2022 it was bought by the community and thrives once more. Its pontoon has space for six boats, or you can pull up on the beaches nearby. The Knoydart Brewery, occupying a deconsecrated Roman Catholic chapel here, supplies the house ales, while a Knoydart venison burger (£18) from the local deer estate is a menu must, along with cullen skink (£11). As there is no road access, people come by ferry from Mallaig, make the 15-mile hike from Kinloch Hourn (a taxi ride from Fort William), or even kayak over – a strenuous and splashy seven miles. Far easier is to hire a kayak when you get there from Love Knoydart and explore the edges of the pristine loch, looking out for sea otters. On of the best places to stay is the Bunkhouse, which has dorms and camping with views to the Isle of Rum (dorm beds from £29pp). Arisaig Sea Kayak Centre can tailor-make day and multi-day wild camping trips in the area from £130pp per day, minimum four people. Hunted for their pelts to near extinction by the 16th century, beavers have been re-established in certain British rivers, including a stretch of the River Stour near Canterbury. They were reintroduced in 2001 at Ham Fen, a Kent Wildlife Reserve site near Sandwich, where they thrived and spread. The most enchanting way to spot nature's cutest carpenters is on a sunset safari by Canadian canoe down the chalk stream waterway, which ends at a riverside pub. Canoe Wild (£37pp) runs an atmospheric trip, timed to pass the places the beavers visit most frequently at dusk, when they're most active. Starting at Grove Ferry, you're whisked by minibus to the village of Fordwich for a guided paddle back of just under five miles. On my September trip, a glorious pink sunset was the backdrop at Bootleg Lake, around which many beavers have dens, and we began to notice slippery mud chutes pocked with paw prints. Then, in the near dark … two loud splashes, and a dark shape careering into the water. 'Definitely a beaver,' whispered the guides. 'When they hear something coming, they whack their wide tails onto the water to scare away predators.' Even a shadowy splosh felt Attenborough-level exciting under a blazing Milky Way, and we finished in the fairy-lit beer garden of the ivy-wreathed Grove Ferry Inn. Nethergong campsite nearby has pitches from £42.50, as well as a sauna, yoga and bushcraft classes. This fantastically quirky paddle involves a hidden creek, accessible only at high tide, and a place where you can order your drink to be brought straight to your paddleboard or kayak. This beer pilgrimage is on the tidal River Hamble, a baby river of 6.3 miles that flows east of Southampton towards the Solent. At its narrow upper end, near Botley, spidery creeks run off at the sides, including one leading to the Botley Brewery's Hidden Tap bar. Those with their own kit can park at Burridge recreation ground on the east side of the river, then follow a leafy footpath through woods to the water. Or launch further upriver from YMCA Fairthorne (for a £5.50 fee), which rents paddleboards and kayaks and has a cafe and campsite (hire from £20, pitches for four people from £39). Heading upstream towards Botley, the river becomes gentler, narrower and shallower until it feels like an otherworldly bayou. Set off at least two hours before high tide so it's high at the upper, final navigable end of the river, follow the stream through a tunnel and emerge at the foot of the brewery wall. You yell your order up and your pint is lowered down in a wooden box to be sipped while you float. Another short channel, Curbridge Creek, leads to the Horse and Jockey pub's waterside beer garden. Paddling back the way you've come can be a downer, not to mention hard work if it means going against the flow, so River Severn Canoes' solution is rather brilliant. At the end of its self-guided trips down the River Severn from the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth you abandon your vessel and catch a steam train back on the Severn Valley Railway to Highley (£15). Routes of several lengths are available, including four hours to Arley (10½ miles). Halfway along there's a picnic stop on a beach at the village of Hampton Loade, where you could also have a cuppa and a jacket potato at the Unicorn Inn (mains from £7). It has nine (quite basic) B&B rooms as well as a campsite (pitches for one tent sleeping 2-4 people from £20), if you want to make this your base. Finish in Upper Arley in Worcestershire, home to another traditional, 500-year-old pub, The Harbour. Trains run between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, stopping at Bewdley, Arley and Hampton Loade. Those with their own kayak or SUP can take them on the train for a £5 fee. In Bridgnorth, The Falcon Hotel (doubles from £140) has 14 rooms with whitewashed beams and exposed brick. River Severn Canoes also offers multi-day trips down the river, stopping at campsites. Paddling along the thickly wooded tidal gorge of the River Teifi in Canadian canoes feels utterly otherworldly: peregrine falcons zip from steep banks, kingfishers dart above water busy with salmon, sewin (sea trout) and otters, and there's a little patch of rapids to tackle on an otherwise gentle two-hour tour with Heritage Canoes (£45 adults/£32.50 children). From its woodland base at the Welsh Wildlife Centre and Teifi Marshes nature reserve it's two miles upriver to Cilgerran, where a 13th-century castle towers above the river. Stay at glamping site Fforest Farm (two nights' B&B for two from £340), a 10-minute drive east of Cardigan, with a range of cabins and tents – the geodesic domes come with their own Japanese-style wooden bathhouse with a super-deep tub. The site has its own atmospheric pub, Y Bwthyn, in a barely converted barn only open to guests, where candles send their twitchy glow onto slate windowsills, cocktails are made with foraged botanicals and local ale comes fresh from the cask. Cilgerran has a couple of heartwarming pubs, including the Cardiff Arms (no website), with a coracle hung outside; or head to Cardigan's waterside bar at Albion Aberteifi, Fforest's hip apart-hotel, or, on the opposite bank, its Pizzatipi, which has a festival feel. Gemma Bowes' Paddle and Pub is published by Bloomsbury (£19.99). Order a copy at More details on paddling and safety advice at
The Guardian
04-08-2025
- The Guardian
‘The river becomes an otherworldly bayou': five of the best paddleboard and kayak adventures in the UK
Make this the summer you get back out on the water, with fish plopping beneath you, bulrushes shimmying and kingfishers darting by. Even if you don't have your own kayak or paddleboard festering in the garage, there are dozens of excellent hire places and guided tours up and down the country, on beautiful rivers, lakes, canals and coastlines. I've spent a couple of years researching a book about the loveliest, and here are five of my favourites. For many years the Old Forge Inn – often referred to as the most remote pub in mainland Britain – was well known for its live music sessions that would break out when the whisky started flowing. Locals and visitors were often moved to take down the musical instruments hanging on the walls and burst into tune. It sounded like the best party in the land, all the more so for the degree of difficulty it took to reach it, and the ridiculous beauty of the surroundings. It's the only pub in the only village, Inverie, on the Knoydart peninsula, a heathery, mountainous hunk of the Scottish west coast that juts between three deep sea lochs, where seals play and white-tailed eagles soar. And now it's back. There was a period when things went off the boil under new ownership and the parties dwindled, but in 2022 it was bought by the community and thrives once more. Its pontoon has space for six boats, or you can pull up on the beaches nearby. The Knoydart Brewery, occupying a deconsecrated Roman Catholic chapel here, supplies the house ales, while a Knoydart venison burger (£18) from the local deer estate is a menu must, along with cullen skink (£11). As there is no road access, people come by ferry from Mallaig, make the 15-mile hike from Kinloch Hourn (a taxi ride from Fort William), or even kayak over – a strenuous and splashy seven miles. Far easier is to hire a kayak when you get there from Love Knoydart and explore the edges of the pristine loch, looking out for sea otters. On of the best places to stay is the Bunkhouse, which has dorms and camping with views to the Isle of Rum (dorm beds from £29pp). Arisaig Sea Kayak Centre can tailor-make day and multi-day wild camping trips in the area from £130pp per day, minimum four people. Hunted for their pelts to near extinction by the 16th century, beavers have been re-established in certain British rivers, including a stretch of the River Stour near Canterbury. They were reintroduced in 2001 at Ham Fen, a Kent Wildlife Reserve site near Sandwich, where they thrived and spread. The most enchanting way to spot nature's cutest carpenters is on a sunset safari by Canadian canoe down the chalk stream waterway, which ends at a riverside pub. Canoe Wild (£37pp) runs an atmospheric trip, timed to pass the places the beavers visit most frequently at dusk, when they're most active. Starting at Grove Ferry, you're whisked by minibus to the village of Fordwich for a guided paddle back of just under five miles. On my September trip, a glorious pink sunset was the backdrop at Bootleg Lake, around which many beavers have dens, and we began to notice slippery mud chutes pocked with paw prints. Then, in the near dark … two loud splashes, and a dark shape careering into the water. 'Definitely a beaver,' whispered the guides. 'When they hear something coming, they whack their wide tails onto the water to scare away predators.' Even a shadowy splosh felt Attenborough-level exciting under a blazing Milky Way, and we finished in the fairy-lit beer garden of the ivy-wreathed Grove Ferry Inn. Nethergong campsite nearby has pitches from £42.50, as well as a sauna, yoga and bushcraft classes. This fantastically quirky paddle involves a hidden creek, accessible only at high tide, and a place where you can order your drink to be brought straight to your paddleboard or kayak. This beer pilgrimage is on the tidal River Hamble, a baby river of 6.3 miles that flows east of Southampton towards the Solent. At its narrow upper end, near Botley, spidery creeks run off at the sides, including one leading to the Botley Brewery's Hidden Tap bar. Those with their own kit can park at Burridge recreation ground on the east side of the river, then follow a leafy footpath through woods to the water. Or launch further upriver from YMCA Fairthorne (for a £5.50 fee), which rents paddleboards and kayaks and has a cafe and campsite (hire from £20, pitches for four people from £39). Heading upstream towards Botley, the river becomes gentler, narrower and shallower until it feels like an otherworldly bayou. Set off at least two hours before high tide so it's high at the upper, final navigable end of the river, follow the stream through a tunnel and emerge at the foot of the brewery wall. You yell your order up and your pint is lowered down in a wooden box to be sipped while you float. Another short channel, Curbridge Creek, leads to the Horse and Jockey pub's waterside beer garden. Paddling back the way you've come can be a downer, not to mention hard work if it means going against the flow, so River Severn Canoes' solution is rather brilliant. At the end of its self-guided trips down the River Severn from the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth you abandon your vessel and catch a steam train back on the Severn Valley Railway to Highley (£15). Routes of several lengths are available, including four hours to Arley (10½ miles). Halfway along there's a picnic stop on a beach at the village of Hampton Loade, where you could also have a cuppa and a jacket potato at the Unicorn Inn (mains from £7). It has nine (quite basic) B&B rooms as well as a campsite (pitches for one tent sleeping 2-4 people from £20), if you want to make this your base. Finish in Upper Arley in Worcestershire, home to another traditional, 500-year-old pub, The Harbour. Trains run between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, stopping at Bewdley, Arley and Hampton Loade. Those with their own kayak or SUP can take them on the train for a £5 fee. In Bridgnorth, The Falcon Hotel (doubles from £140) has 14 rooms with whitewashed beams and exposed brick. River Severn Canoes also offers multi-day trips down the river, stopping at campsites. Paddling along the thickly wooded tidal gorge of the River Teifi in Canadian canoes feels utterly otherworldly: peregrine falcons zip from steep banks, kingfishers dart above water busy with salmon, sewin (sea trout) and otters, and there's a little patch of rapids to tackle on an otherwise gentle two-hour tour with Heritage Canoes (£45 adults/£32.50 children). From its woodland base at the Welsh Wildlife Centre and Teifi Marshes nature reserve it's two miles upriver to Cilgerran, where a 13th-century castle towers above the river. Stay at glamping site Fforest Farm (two nights' B&B for two from £340), a 10-minute drive east of Cardigan, with a range of cabins and tents – the geodesic domes come with their own Japanese-style wooden bathhouse with a super-deep tub. The site has its own atmospheric pub, Y Bwthyn, in a barely converted barn only open to guests, where candles send their twitchy glow onto slate windowsills, cocktails are made with foraged botanicals and local ale comes fresh from the cask. Cilgerran has a couple of heartwarming pubs, including the Cardiff Arms (no website), with a coracle hung outside; or head to Cardigan's waterside bar at Albion Aberteifi, Fforest's hip apart-hotel, or, on the opposite bank, its Pizzatipi, which has a festival feel. Gemma Bowes' Paddle and Pub is published by Bloomsbury (£19.99). Order a copy at More details on paddling and safety advice at
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Travel + Leisure
17-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Travel + Leisure
This Inflatable Paddleboard Is Under $100 at Amazon
Investing in a paddleboard is like opening a treasure trove of new water hobbies. You can take up the challenge of stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga, or grab a pair of waterproof binoculars and try your hand at birdwatching. You could even bring your lifejacket-wearing pooch along for a bonding float on the lake. And owning your own paddleboard means you can partake in these activities as often as you want, circumventing the trials and tribulations of renting one each time. For most prospective paddle boarders, the biggest barrier to an adventurous summer on the water is the upfront cost, followed closely by the obstacle of schlepping big, cumbersome equipment from the corner of your garage down to the dock. Luckily, we've found an inflatable paddleboard at Amazon that eliminates both of those problems. Bifanuo Inflatable Stand-up Paddleboard Amazon This Bifanuo best-selling paddleboard kit is under $100 on Amazon and has racked up hundreds of five-star ratings and more than 1,000 purchases just since June. It includes an inflatable paddleboard, a lightweight and collapsible aluminum paddle, a removable stabilizer fin, a safety leash, a hand pump, a patch kit, and a backpack carrier. The board is a little over 10.5 feet long and can hold up to 350 pounds; reviewers said that's large enough to comfortably fit two adults, plus a large dog, making it an affordable option for tandem paddle boarding. Plus, the 32-inch width helps with stability, making this a good pick for beginners since it's easier to balance on in choppy water. This Amazon-loved paddleboard deflates and packs easily into the trunk of your car, so you don't have to worry about awkwardly strapping it down to your roof racks, only for it to accidentally take flight while driving. Once you've arrived at the lake or beach, simply pull the paddleboard out of its carrying case and use the included hand pump to inflate it. Some shoppers noted this process takes as little as five minutes, while other reviewers have taken all the work out of setting it up by purchasing a separate electric pump that plugs into the DC socket of their car. 'At this price point, I was expecting good but not perfect,' one five-star reviewer wrote. 'Well, I was pleasantly surprised,' they continued, noting that the quality is comparable to more expensive inflatable paddleboards they've used. They add that the included pump—which tells you when you've reached the appropriate pressure—was an added bonus. 'I'll be buying a few more for our lakehouse,' they said. Bifanuo Inflatable Stand-up Paddleboard Amazon Other shoppers said they were impressed by the durability at such a low price point, with one five-star reviewer noting that this inflatable paddleboard can endure scraping against rocks while paddling up to the shore. Some shoppers have even flown with them to beachy getaways: 'We took them as checked bags on a trip to the Bahamas, and it was an amazing experience.' The Bifuano inflatable paddleboard comes in a range of color options, including a vibrant bright pink and yellow version and one covered in black and grey. Surprisingly, reviewers said the latter doesn't get unbearably hot, even during 100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Prices range from $94 to $120, with the lowest-cost option being a random color chosen by the brand. After you add this fun and affordable inflatable paddleboard kit to your Amazon cart, you'll want to outfit it with some accessories. Read on for fun paddleboard extras to buy, from an adjustable seat to a cup holder, starting at $17. Shop Paddleboard Accessories at Amazon SereneLife Detachable Universal Paddleboard Seat Amazon Angar Paddleboard Cup Holder Amazon Eboda Waterproof Speaker Amazon Yvleen Paddleboard Cooler Amazon Kosmegal Electric Paddleboard Pump Amazon At the time of publishing, the price started at $94. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
South China Morning Post
17-06-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Chinese boy rescued after drifting on paddleboard amid typhoon
A 10-year-old boy went into the sea with a paddleboard with his friends when typhoon Wutip hit southern China's Hainan province. The teenager later got stuck and drifted for five hours before being rescued.
Reuters
28-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Russia detains French man who entered country on a paddle board
MOSCOW, May 28 (Reuters) - A French citizen who illegally crossed the Russian border on a paddle board from Estonia has been placed in detention for two months, a court in Russia's northern Leningrad region said. The man, who paddled from Estonia, was detained on the shore of the Narva reservoir - through which the Russian-Estonian border runs - by Federal Security Service (FSB) border guards. According to the Leningrad court, the French man said he wanted to settle in Russia. The court said the man said he had previously undergone psychiatric treatment. Reuters was unable to contact the man or his lawyers.
